High quality and long shelf life:

A good marriage or a constant challenge?

by Chris Rietveld

Conference on Packaging of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables, Odense,

08.01.2013

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Contents

- Introduction Hessing Supervers / Chris Rietveld

- Focus of the presentation

- Aspects that influence the shelf life of packed fruit and

vegetables

- Packaging and shelf life

- Relation with processing industry

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Introduction

Hessing is a leading producer in the Netherlands of

- convenience products

- fresh juices

- meal solutions

for Retail and Foodservice

- Family owned company

- 4 production facilities

- Turnover € 180.000.000 / year

- Production > 3.500.000 CU / week

- > 500 different product recipe’s

- Own logistics and transport

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Who is Chris Rietveld?

- An independent consultant and interim manager

- With more than 30 years experience in food industry

- Who has been managing director of all 4 Hessing

plants

- And is still working for Hessing as interim manager

on the integration of a new plant

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Focus of this presentation:

As many scientific and commercial aspects of the packaging of

fruit and vegetables have been highlighted by other speakers, the

focus of this presentation will be on:

• Fresh cut salads, vegetables and fruit

• Effect of processing in relation to shelf life

• Aspects of industrial processing

• Packaging and development

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Grower Processing Warehouse Retail

Shop Consumer

Supply chain fresh cut fruit and vegetables

Processing: - Cutting: cleaning + cutting in the right size (hand/machine)

- Washing: minimum 2 times in ice water

- Drying: mechanical (centrifuge) or with air

- Mixing: dry or wet mixing for blended products

- Packing: bag or tray

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Aspects that influence the shelf life of packed fruit

and vegetables

• Quality of raw materials

- source

- season

- time between harvesting and processing

• Type of raw materials

- hard or soft product

- regular or biologic

• Recipe

- mixtures: difference in shelf life of components

- interaction of components in the package

- toppings: loose in the package or pre-packed

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Aspects that influence the shelf life of packed fruit

and vegetables

• Processing

- mechanical treatment

- sharpness of knives

- management of washing water: temperature, cleanliness

- processing facilities: air quality, temperature

- hygiene: equipment, people

• Packaging

- material: kind of material

- permeability: specific per product

- sealing: tightness

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Aspects that influence the shelf life of packed fruit

and vegetables

• Logistics

- handling of product

- both raw materials and finished products

- daily fresh delivery

• Temperature management during total supply chain

- a low temperature is of great importance

- supply chain shows several critical points

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Packaging

The aspects on packaging for both consumer and producer are

many:

• Design: appeal to consumer

• Contents: good product, meeting expectations

• Distinction: shape, material, colour

• Protection: mechanical, biological, shelf life

• Food safety: cooling, hygiene, foreign bodies

• Sustainable: light, recyclable, compostable

• Price: as low as possible, but perfect quality

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Packaging and shelf life

- Since fresh cut fruit and vegetables are “alive” products,

respiration continues in the packaging

- Respiration varies per product and must be controled in order to

achieve maximum shelf life

- Methods:

- create protective atmosphere in the packaging: balancing the

O2 / CO2 content

- create a breathable packaging by perforation of the foil: the

number and size of perforations vary per product

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But: the real shelf life effect of breathable packaging does not only depend

on the number and size of perforations, it is always combined with:

• Product quality

• Initial gas composition

• Moisture content

• Addition of protective gas

• Type of packaging material

• Thickness of the foil

• Mechanical treatment of the product

These are all known aspects. But what do they

mean for a producer?

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What does this all mean for the industry?

• Product development

- constant focus on improving shelf life

- balancing customers demands

• Investments in equipment

- in-line perforation: laser, heat, mechanical

- reduction of mechanical affection

• Design of packaging

- design and shelf life properties should be balanced

• Waste

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What does this all mean for the industry?

• Choice of packaging material

- depends on product

- together with customer

• Economics

- best product – lowest price

- reduction of waste

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Techniques to secure or improve shelf life

• Commonly used

- addition of gas

- removal of oxygen

- perforated foil

- choice of packaging material

- reduction of mechanical affection of the product

- temperature management (industry and retail)

• Current developments

- HPP (High Pressure Processing) of fruit juices

- PEF (Pulsed Electric Fields) Processing

- In line measurement of respiration and adapting perforation

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Summarized:

• Packaging is important for realization of shelf life of packed fruit

and vegetables

• However the effect of optimum packaging can be (much)

reduced by not optimum aspects as raw materials, processing

and cooling

• Continuous research will contribute to further optimization of

shelf life. However: daily fresh delivered products with a long

shelf life will be a constant challenge

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Joint efforts of all stakeholders in the world of fruit and

vegetables will contribute in optimization of shelf life

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Thank you for your attention

Questions?

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